Getting to Know: The Meiners Family
(front) Jeff Meiners, Gaven Meiners, Erika Meiners, Andra Tremble (back) Steve Meiners, Brandon Meiners, Mike Meiners & Garett Meiners
According to the Small Business Administration, more than 70 percent of all family businesses do not survive through the second generation, and 8 percent do not make it to a third. Only 3 percent of family businesses are operating at a fourth generation level and beyond! While the Meiners’ fourth generation is still mostly in diapers and the second generation joining them soon, all generations remain committed to keeping Crest Foods in the family. At Crest we are hopeful that someone with the last name Meiners knows you, our size and number of de- partments makes that challenging, but it is a common goal for the family to be involved and accessible. With many new faces at Crest, we thought now would be a good time to highlight and get to know the Meiners family. Steve Meiners , VP Sales Years at Crest Foods: 44. Interests: Fishing, hunting, grandkids. What most people don’t know about me? I was a pitcher on the Rockford College Baseball team for 4 years. Biggest accomplishment - pitching two complete game wins on the same day. First Job at Crest? As a youngster, a painter. Most every inside and outside wall has seen a coat of paint that I put on the wall. Favorite Food? Grilled Fresh Fish (Salmon & Tuna #1). Best Crest Memory? Oddly...the worst events likely are my best memories. The Big Flood and The Tornado come to mind. While these were potentially huge unfortunate events for Crest they illustrated some of the best of what Crest brings to the table. People rolled up their sleeves, worked hard together to minimize the impact of the event and recover as quickly as possible. So many people went above and beyond just to get us back to doing what we do every day. And they did it without really being asked. Amazing and very rewarding. Jeff Meiners, President Years at Crest Foods: 41. Interests: Jeep rides, hunting, photography, working in the yard, family. What most people don’t know about me? I played the banjo at my own wedding reception. First job at Crest? Stacker for the glass line in the North Plant basement/Painter. Favorite Food? Shore lunch in Canada. Best Crest Memory? Putting the tornado file away for good knowing that everybody at Crest had hit it out of the ballpark responding to a very difficult situation. Also, building the first stage of the West Warehouse that became the cornerstone for all of the expansion over the last 30 years.
16 Crest Ink April, May & June 2021
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